Disaster victims and Darwin

[thir]

In "i", the Independant's new paper, there I found an interesting article about human behaviour in diaster situations. Actually, about humans as such, and per chance something about use and abuse of Darwin.

'Survival of the fittest' means 'how to cope succesfully'.

Johann Hari: The myth of the panicking disaster victim

"For every one person injured, there would be dozens who lose their morals or lose the plot. They would howl and they would loot and they would rape. Humans couldn't take it. They would break. They would turn on each other.

The same predictions are made about every disaster – that once the lid of a tightly policed civilization is knocked off for a second, humans will become beasts. But the opposite is the case. It sounds grotesque to say we should see reasons for hope as we watch in real time while the earth is shaken six inches on its axis, tsunamis roar, and nuclear power stations teeter on meltdown. But it is true. From this disaster, we can learn something fundamental about our species. It should guide how the Japanese authorities behave today – and kill off right-wing ideologies based on the belief that humans are inherently selfish tomorrow."

"The evidence gathered over centuries of disasters, natural and man-made, is overwhelming. The vast majority of people, when a disaster hits, behave in the aftermath as altruists. They organise spontaneously to save their fellow human beings, to share what they have, and to show kindness. They reveal themselves to be better people than they ever expected. When the social scientist Enrico Quarantelli tried to write a thesis on how people descend into chaos and panic after disasters, he concluded: "My God! I can't find any instances of it." On the contrary, he wrote, in disasters "the social order does not break down... Co-operative rather than selfish behaviour predominates". The Blitz Spirit wasn't unique to London: it is universal."

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-the-myth-of-the-panicking-disaster-victim-2245014.html

[Thorne]

Nice points, thir. I, for one, am not surprised by his observations. Scientists have been noting this for a very long time. One of the reasons the human race HAS survived, and become one of the predominant species on the planet, is our ability to cooperate, especially in times of stress. Society only works because of this ability, because in general we are inherently empathetic to others. While it's true you will see some anti-social behavior during these times, the actual percentages are relatively low. They only seem higher because modern media tends to show the worst sides of humanity rather than the best.

In Japan this innate tendency is enhanced by a far more polite (compared to Americans, for example) social system. But in almost any society, and in almost any disaster, you will always see more people offering helping hands than those adding to the misery. It's part of our genetic makeup.

[leo9]

What particularly interests me is why, in the face of this endlessly well documented fact, the opposite view persists - that violence and exploitation are "human nature". I see two possible reasons. One is what psychologists call the figure-ground effect - what you see as the "figure," the important thing to look at, and what the "ground," the uninteresting background. And it seems to me that we notice violence and competition because they are uncommon, and stand out against the background of everyday peace and co-operation.

And the other possible reason is that violent and exploitative people have largely controlled the world for the last few thousand years, and naturally they teach us all that the way they are is normal (see any text on sociobiology) and the rest of us are inferior for not fighting and competing as ruthlessly as them - and that we need them to rule over us, because without their rule we'd all kill each other.

Because one of the aspects of disasters that Hari doesn't note is that in addition to shared danger, what people often experience is the absence of authority figures to regulate and organise them. And as a rule, they organise themselves both effectively and fairly, just when the authoritarian model of human nature would expect them to mill around like lost sheep.

[denuseri]

According to some:

Much work has gone into the study of disasters in the past and much has been learned which is useful. For those interested in knowing what has already been learned about disasters from previous experiences, the following gives a kind of formal framework within which understanding of the current disaster may be increased.


Listed are the most commonly found phases in a disaster. Not all disasters follow the same sequences. For examples, earthquakes, fires, explosions, crashes, etc., do not generally give much (if any) warning, while tornadoes, floods, tidal waves and others do.





1. Warning

There is little support from direct experiences that people will panic when warned of impending disaster. Any warning message must be clear, specific, immediate and personal in order to be effective. If it is vague, unclear and leaves the individual with as many choices as he had before, it is almost certain to be ineffective. Among the reasons for disbelief and reluctance to act on warnings are:
Lack of past experience with disasters,
Delusion of personal invulnerability,
Reluctance to abandon property and personal possessions,
Inability to adopt a new frame of reference so as to expect unusual events,
Over dependency on protecting authorities, and
Over eagerness to seize upon reassuring communications.

When people have no prior warning, the recognition of danger is frequently delayed. People tend incorrectly to associate disaster signs with familiar or normal events, e.g., carbon monoxide or other toxic agents’ affects may be attributed to chronic ailments or the roar of high winds in the vortex of a tornado may be interpreted as the sound of a train passing by.

When people have no prior warning, the recognition of danger is frequently delayed. People tend incorrectly to associate disaster signs with familiar or normal events, e.g., carbon monoxide or other toxic agents’ affects may be attributed to chronic ailments or the roar of high winds in the vortex of a tornado may be interpreted as the sound of a train passing by.






2. Period of Threat

If panic occurs at all, it is most likely during the period of threat. Panic is most likely to occur when people:
Perceive an immediate, severe danger,
Believe there is only one or a limited number of escape routes from the danger.
Believe those escape routes are closing (not closed) so that escape must be made quickly, and
Lack of communication to keep them informed of the situation.






3. Impact

Behavior expected during the impact of the disaster includes:

People trying to stay alive and protect immediate associates and



Behavior determined by the nature of the situation as the individual assesses it, e.g., holding onto things and people, seeking cover from flying objects and shielding children.

During the immediate post-impact period, although most persons may be temporarily stunned or confused and somewhat disoriented, they usually regain sufficient self-control within a brief time to extricate themselves if they are physically able to do so and to assist family members and associates.

People in impact zones cannot be expected for some while to act as efficiently and discerningly as they normally do.





4. Inventory

People begin to form a preliminary picture of individual conditions. It is a period of stocktaking and assimilation of impressions. If isolated, one is inclined to believe that he/she and his/her visible companions are the only victims or survivors. Concern for the security of one’s family becomes predominant. Sometimes, behavior appears in opposite extremes. Some individuals may act with the "best time of my life" attitude; others may exhibit distress resulting from a shaken self-image and an inescapable awareness of personal vulnerability and mortality.





5. Rescue

During this phase, activity is focused upon immediate help for survivors. Rapid recovery from emotional shock is the rule. One important exception is that which have been described as the "disaster syndrome". In this condition, the individual appears dazed, stunned, apathetic or "dead while alive". Behavior is disorganized; extreme suggestibility and hence vulnerability of the individual may be seen.

A related state frequently found is that of the "counter-disaster" syndrome which represents an active denial of the fear, anxiety and grief generated by the disaster. In this condition, there is a euphoric identification with the damages community, physical over-exertion and low efficiency often resulting in hasty and slipshod work. In general, there is an over-involvement in rescue activities and an uncritical acceptance and strong loyalty to "leaders" who emerge during the rescue activities.






6. Remedy

At this point, more deliberate and formal rescue and recovery activities are undertaken. There is anticipation of the long-term consequences of the disaster. Feelings of grief, anger and inadequacy usually appear. Stress is felt within the family and shows itself particularly in the behavior of children. The importance of "belonging" begins to emerge, with a need to allocate blame for consequences of the disaster itself. There is a beginning realization that changes necessitated by the disaster can be for better or worse. There is need for realistic planning and action.

Symptoms of stress observed immediately following the disaster, such as insomnia, digestive upsets and nervousness, which may appear in a large number of survivors, tend to subside. However, psychosomatic symptoms caused by the emotional stress of the disaster may be indistinguishable from resultant physiological effects (such as toxic symptoms or reactions to radiation exposure) and thus may overload medical treatment facilities.

In children, the quickest recovery from disaster disturbances may be found in families which accept regressive behavior, such as reappearance of thumb sucking or loss of bowel and bladder control, and encourage talking out and working through the emotional impact of the disaster. Slowest recovery rates among children are to be found in families in which there is a "dissociative-demanding" atmosphere or one in which discussion or attention to the disaster is discouraged.

Delayed emotional reactions may appear at this time among adults who have been busy providing supportive and comforting service for other family members or other families. After the others have recovered, the supporter may evidence a delayed grief reaction.






7. Recovery

This period may begin within a relatively short time after the disaster and extend for months or even years if a community has been severely damaged. The community and individuals attempt to recover former stability or achieve new forms of stability. Emphasis is on adaptation to changed conditions. Those with limited capacities for adaptation will begin to show signs of emotional stress and possible deterioration, e.g., the aged or middle aged may tend to feel overwhelmed and to give up when faced with the need of starting all over again. The anticipation of a favorable recovery is critical for all individuals. Without it, the community and individual demoralization and decline are likely to occur.

[Thorne]

A good general evaluation, denuseri. But it should be noted that these effects which are noted are very generalized, and will not necessarily apply to any specific individuals. People tend to deal with such things in different ways, as noted in your piece.

In my own limited experience, dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the range of effects upon people was very widespread. Some people tended to panic before hand, rushing out to the stores and buying up things which they really did not need, making things difficult for those who really did have the need. During the height of the storm, naturally, people were hunkered down in their homes or shelters, as was my family. Believe me, sitting in our home, in the dark when the power went out, listening to the wind howling around us, hearing the trees falling, feeling them strike the house, was a terrifying enough experience. Listening to the radio as well-meaning but clueless announcers blathered on about whole towns being wiped out (close, perhaps, but not quite true) and hospitals collapsing (completely false) only made things worse.

Getting out in the morning, after the storm had passed, wasn't much better. There were trees down everywhere. It was almost impossible to drive for as much as a mile without running into downed trees and power lines. But the prevailing attitude of those I saw was relief at surviving and a readiness to get to work putting things right again. For seemingly endless days the sounds of chain saws permeated the area. There was very little panic or bad behavior.

In the aftermath, again the range of effects were broad. For my part, I have little residual anxiety over the incident. But I still notice myself paying more attention to the wind, especially during thunderstorms. Others I know grow anxious whenever there is a thunderstorm warning. And at least one person I know has to take a sedative to make it through the storms.

[denuseri]

The synopsis I provided also didnt go into how people react when they are cut off from hope of recovery as in many places that have fallen into lawlessness around the globe today as well as throughout history numerous times and what happens when civilizations collapse due to catastrophic changes such as the ancient egyptians and akadians sudden falsl when the ocean conveyor quite bringing anual rains to irrigate their respective flood plains.

Sensational sounding as it may be but in such prolonged and severe drought conditions had exactly the results that everyone feared most...the actual records of those times in both areas spoke about how even the sons of princes were killed to feed their parents as the people fell to canibalisim.

[thir]

I don't think I can really imagine how it must have felt..



Listening to the radio as well-meaning but clueless announcers blathered on about whole towns being wiped out (close, perhaps, but not quite true) and hospitals collapsing (completely false) only made things worse.


Yes, why on earth do they DO that??



In the aftermath, again the range of effects were broad. For my part, I have little residual anxiety over the incident. But I still notice myself paying more attention to the wind, especially during thunderstorms. Others I know grow anxious whenever there is a thunderstorm warning. And at least one person I know has to take a sedative to make it through the storms.

I think that is perfectly natural. I remember after a fire I freaked, for a moment, at the smell of smoke for about a year before it passed.